Benefits of Using Automate a Factory Configurable Components
Automate Processing: We might all understand what mass manufacturing is, but not everyone understands that mass manufacturing as we used to know is already on its way out.
For upon |While mass manufacturing principles were able to help different industries churn out massive quantities of products and individual components, more often than not, the results were intended as a “one-size-fits-all” solution. This often meant that while “good enough”, these solutions were rarely completely satisfactory for most intended users save for the ones with the most average needs.
If one wanted a better solution to an issue, the best option was often in-depth customization. But by going this route, one is likely to pay a high premium compared to mass-manufactured solutions. For decades, this level of customization and configurability in industrial settings was only available to large businesses with access to lots of funding.
This is no longer the case. The future that we are moving towards is more akin to that of “mass customization”. Thanks to developments in information technology and systems for creating and validating designs, the cost of customization has gone down to the point that more businesses can invest in it.
Today we also have “Configurable”, stock items, and parts that could be made more specialized for specific purposes, according to a customer’s requirements. These can cost even less than customization solutions created from the ground up and can offer the same benefits with fewer downsides.
Configurable components are now widely used in new factories and are often the first choice when upgrading from older automated industrial systems. Here are some advantages to using configurable components over generic mass-manufactured solutions.
Better precision at a lower cost
A direct analogy can be made with “off-the-rack” clothes, tailor-made clothes, and altered clothes. While mass-manufactured components, as with off-the-rack garments, are much more affordable compared to tailor-made items, they often lack the right “fit”. In the manufacturing process, this means that unaltered off-the-shelf solutions will often have production bottlenecks and problems with accuracy in the final product.
While you can go with custom “tailored” solutions that offer much better accuracy, the barrier to adoption can be quite high, especially if you are in a highly specialized industry.
Configurable components are more akin to “off-the-rack” items that have been altered by an expert tailor who already made the clothes in advance, as opposed to being created from the ground up. They offer similar (if not identical) accuracy as fully custom solutions while only costing a fraction of the price. In many cases, they cost about the same as generic solutions as well, while featuring far more advantages in terms of precision.
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Simpler and faster workflows
Being able to use configurable components can often allow for a reduction in the number of steps required in automation. This simplifies the process and usually results in faster production. There is also usually a reduction in the amount of downtime simply because there are fewer things that can go wrong in the system. This usually also means less waste and a healthier bottom line.
No compromises on functionality
To use another analogy, master sushi chefs can probably make excellent sushi with knives from a dollar store, but they will not be able to produce the best sushi they are capable of. Knives used by top-tier chefs are often customized to their handedness and their natural motions, and they probably won’t snag or transfer flavors and odors as easily. Where a good knife helps the chef do exactly what they wish, an inferior one will force them to do things a certain way that does not make it easy to create the best sushi. Automate.
The same can be said about choosing mass-produced components in your automation over solutions better suited to your needs. With generic components, there are often a few compromises that have to be made in terms of the overall functionality of a system.
Mass-manufactured components are meant to perform acceptably for a wide variety of customers. Because of this, it’s rarely the case that they are the best possible solution for your needs. If you want the best possible products and workflow, you have to at least consider customization with configurable components. Automate Processing.
By using configurable components, you can have a system that is optimized for your purpose. This means that your system is better able to handle what you need it to do without having to slow down because the components were not made with your needs in mind.
Conclusion
There are several advantages to using configurable components in factory automation. They can offer better precision, simpler operations, and better quality output in most settings. In most cases, they also offer a reduction in costs and waste. What’s not to like?
If you’re interested in finding custom solutions for your automated workflow, get in touch with MISUMI USA for your industrial configurable components supply needs.
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